Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Afghanistan National Development Strategy: First Annual Report (2008/09)

Subject. After the collapse of the USSR, smaller countries chose different paths in their economic policy during the globalization and the multipolar world. The EU, USA and Russia made a palpable contribution to the economic policy of smaller countries. Some countries of the former USSR failed to find their course, while the others immediately followed their development strategy and stuck to it persistently. Objectives. I examine the economics of the monodirectional strategy of smaller countries of the former USSR. I also evaluate how the countries found their position among different leading countries as points of attraction. The study is based on the assumption that the single direction of the national development and adherence to the same point of attraction will ensure the sustainable development. However, the economic development level depends on the health of a certain economy as a point of attraction. Methods. The study is based on the systems approach, comparative and statistical methods for analyzing macroeconomic data series. Results. I investigated the dynamics of key macroeconomic data in the Republic of Belarus, Latvia and Estonia, such as GDP per capita in current values, unemployment rate and Purchasing Power Index. Given the current phase of globalization and multipolar world, it is crucial for smaller countries to choose a development strategy to follow persistently and achieve proper macroeconomic indicators that depend on the economic stability of counties they treat as their benchmarks. Conclusions and Relevance. I should mention the successful economic policy of Estonia and Latvia, which followed the same course as the other EU countries, as opposed to the Republic of Belarus tending to the policy of the Russian Federation. Nevertheless, the monodirectional development strategy also helps smaller countries ensure their economic stability.

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Conclusions

10.1093/oso/9780198827948.003.0013 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Stephany Griffith-Jones ◽

José Antonio Ocampo ◽

Paola Arias

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Exchange Rates ◽

Interest Rates ◽

Development Strategy ◽

National Development ◽

Financial Inclusion ◽

Production Sector ◽

New Instruments ◽

Innovation And Entrepreneurship

Based on the seven case studies analysed in this volume, this chapter concludes that national development banks (NDBs) have been successful in many cases in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, key new sectors like renewable energy, and financial inclusion. They have developed new instruments, such as far greater use of guarantees, equity (including venture capital) and debt funds, and new instruments for financial inclusion. The context in which they operate is key to their success. Active countercyclical policies, low inflation, fairly low real interest rates, a well-functioning financial sector, and competitive exchange rates are crucial. They are also more effective if the country has a clear development strategy, linked to production sector strategies that foster innovative sectors. Under these conditions, the chapter argues that there is great need for a larger scale of NDB activity in Latin America and in developing countries in general.

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Energy-Water-Environment Nexus and the Transition Towards a Circular Economy: The Case of Qatar

Circular Economy and Sustainability ◽

10.1007/s43615-021-00037-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Abdul-Jalil Ibrahim ◽

Nasim Shah Shirazi

Keyword(s):

Water Supply ◽

Development Strategy ◽

Water Use ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Water Environment ◽

National Development ◽

Supply System ◽

Water Supply System ◽

Vision 2030

Abstract Background Qatar’s per capita consumption of both energy and water is among the highest in the world. Documentation of methods to reduce energy and water use and its impact on the environment is crucial. A circular economy (CE) ensures that economic growth must not necessarily lead to more resource consumption. Materials and methods This study aims to discuss the CE approach with a focus on understanding the interdependencies between energy and water and their impact on the environment. The study explores the energy-water-environment nexus and how Qatar can leverage this to transition to a CE. The policy landscape and strategies related to energy and water use sectors are presented, addressing efficiencies and substitutes from a circular economic viewpoint. Results The findings show that electricity and mobility sectors(energy perspective of the CE) and agriculture and water supply system (water perspective of the CE) of the Qatari economy provide an opportunity for regeneration, virtualising, exchanging, optimising, sharing and closing loops to achieve CE growth. Conclusions The nexus between the mobility, electricity, agriculture and water supply system needs consideration for optimal policy outcome for the CE in Qatar. The study recommends a need to embark on public awareness on moving away from linear economic to the circular economic paradigm and developing a comprehensive policy on Qatar’s circular economic approach that consolidates the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2018–2022 to provide policy clarity and communication towards CE.

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HESRi country impact and uptake in Slovenia

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.1240 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

M Gabrijelčič Blenkus

Keyword(s):

Development Strategy ◽

Health Equity ◽

Social Protection ◽

Economic Status ◽

National Development ◽

Economic Research ◽

Inequalities In Health ◽

The Third ◽

Health Report ◽

The Individual

Abstract Equity and solidarity are strongly embedded in Slovene society from the second half of the 20th century on. Questions, exploring equity issues date in 1964, as a part of the Slovene Public Opinion (SPO) Survey. Slovenia is reporting on health equity and wellbeing in three strands. The first one is regular Human Development Report, based on Slovene Development Strategy since 2007, delegated partially to Institute of Economic Research (IER). Second one is regular Inequalities in Health Report, led by National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), and based on the National Health Strategy, since 2011. The third one is regular Poverty Report, led by Institute of Social Protection (ISP), based on the decision of the Parliamentarian Commission for Health and Social Affairs in 2013. NIPH comprehensively reported on Inequalities in Health in 2011, at that time based on direct measures of socio-economic status (SES) like education, or indirect measures or indexes (as development index or deprivation index of the municipality). In the second, 2018 report, several developments enabled for reporting health equity gap based on the individual SES status and first few cases of policy influences on equity status were described. In line with the WHO Rio SDH declaration 2011, in the third Health Equity Report, planned for 2021, further shift is foreseen and focus will be given to the policies influencing the equity gaps. For the 2021 Health Equity Report for Slovenia, three national key institutions (NIJZ, IER and ISP) decided to work together, based on the established multisectoral competences. WHO HESRi was developed and launched in best possible timing for the Slovene national initiative, to provide the international support, insights and facilitate further national development. Slovene priorities will be defined according to the national interests, Slovene presidency to EU in 2021 and Country Specific Recommendations in the frame of the European Semester.

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China: A New Trajectory Prioritizing Rural Rather Than Urban Development?

Land ◽

10.3390/land10050514 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 514

Author(s):

Hongzhang Xu ◽

Jamie Pittock ◽

Katherine A. Daniell

Keyword(s):

Rural Development ◽

Development Strategy ◽

Rural Community ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Policy ◽

Local Governance ◽

National Development ◽

Rapid Urbanization ◽

Rural And Urban ◽

Global Concern

The adverse effects of rapid urbanization are of global concern. Careful planning for and accommodation of accelerating urbanization and citizenization (i.e., migrants gaining official urban residency) may be the best approach to limit some of the worst impacts. However, we find that another trajectory may be possible: one linked to the rural development plan adopted in the latest Chinese national development strategy. This plan aims to build rural areas as attractive areas for settlement by 2050 rather than to further urbanize with more people in cities. We assess the political motivations and challenges behind this choice to develop rural areas based on a literature review and empirical case analysis. After assessing the rural and urban policy subsystem, we find five socio-political drivers behind China’s rural development strategy, namely ensuring food security, promoting culture and heritage, addressing overcapacity, emphasizing environmental protection and eradicating poverty. To develop rural areas, China needs to effectively resolve three dilemmas: (1) implementing decentralized policies under central supervision; (2) deploying limited resources efficiently to achieve targets; and (3) addressing competing narratives in current policies. Involving more rural community voices, adopting multiple forms of local governance, and identifying and mitigating negative project impacts can be the starting points to manage these dilemmas.

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